Studies on Edales pandava Horsfield of family Lycanidae (Lepidoptera) infesting on plants of family Cycadaceae from Punjab, India - Research Trend
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Biological Forum – An International Journal 11(1): 172-175(2019)
ISSN No. (Print): 0975-1130
ISSN No. (Online): 2249-3239
Studies on Edales pandava Horsfield of family Lycanidae
(Lepidoptera) infesting on plants of family Cycadaceae from Punjab,
India
P.C. Pathania1, K.S. Suri2 and Parminder Singh3
1
Zoological Survey of India, M-Block, New Alipore, Kolkata (West Bengal), India
2
Department of Entomology, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana (Punjab), India
3
Department of Floriculture and Landscaping, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana (Punjab), India
(Corresponding author: P.C. Pathania)
(Received 28 June 2018, Accepted 02March, 2019)
(Published by Research Trend, Website: www.researchtrend.net)
ABSTRACT: A butterfly species i.e., Edales pandava Horsfield belonging to the family Lycanidae infesting on
plants of family Cycadaceae from different district/localilies of Punjab have been reported. The details on the
biological studies, sexual dimorphism, and other aspects are also provided.
Keywords: Edales pandava Horsfield, Lepidoptera, infesting on plants, Punjab
How to cite this article: Pathania, P.C.; Suri, K.S. and Singh, Parminder (2019). Studies on Edales pandava Horsfield of
family Lycanidae (Lepidoptera) infesting on plants of family Cycadaceae from Punjab, India. Biological Forum – An
International Journal, 11(1): 172-175.
INTRODUCTION Its unique shape and texture provide interest in both the
landscape and indoors. It is a very symmetrical plant
Cycads are known to be among the oldest plants on
with fronds growing in a circular pattern creating a
earth, unchanged for millions of years, native to various
rosette. It is usually a single trunked, very slow growing
areas of Southern Japan. It is the only genus recognized
palm with dark green leaves having glossy, stiff and
in the family Cycadaceae with about 95 species. Cycads
pointed leaflets. Sago palm is relatively easy to grow
are dioecious plants, or in other words, there are
and that lends a real sense of the tropics to any
separate male and female plants. The female plant
environment. It grows best in sandy, well-drained soil,
produces the seeds, and the male produces cones with
preferably with some organic matter. It is fairly
pollen in them. Cycas revoluta is called “the living
drought-tolerant and grows well in full sun or outdoor
fossil” because its origin can be traced back to the
shade, but needs bright light when grown indoors. It
ancient flora of the early Mesozoic era i.e. 200 million
can also handle full shade with no ill effect. It is also a
years ago.
cold hardy and can tolerate temperatures up to 150F.
Cycads are found across much of the
Propagation of sago palms is either by seed or by
subtropical and tropical parts of the world. The best-
removal of basal offsets. The plant takes several years
known species is Cycas revoluta, widely cultivated
to grow; sexual reproduction takes place after 10 years
under the name "Sago Palm" or "King Sago Palm" due
of exclusive vegetative growth.
to its palm-like appearance although it is not a true
Cycas revoluta has become a very popular
palm. The generic name comes from Greek Koikas, and
landscape plant and is the most common cycad used in
means "a kind of palm". The genus is native to the Old
landscape today. Being a symmetrical plant, it is a
World, with the species concentrated around the
characteristic feature of almost all formal gardens. It is
equatorial regions. It is native to eastern and
an excellent plant used as a specimen plant for its
southeastern Asia including the Philippines with 10
appearance in the garden, container plant for use
species (9 of which are endemic), eastern Africa
outdoors and in the home. In Japan the sago is also used
(including Madagascar), northern Australia, Polynesia,
as a bonsai plant. The sago is most attractive when the
and Micronesia. Australia has 26 species, while the
new leaves appear in late spring or early summer. It is a
Indo-Chinese area has about 30. The northernmost
great plant for entryways or by the patio. The glossy
species (C. revoluta) is found at 31°N in southern
metallic leaves are harvested and used as a florist green
Japan. The southernmost (C. megacarpa) is found at
in bouquet making, flower arrangements and wreaths.
26°S in southeast Queensland, Australia.
Pathania, Suri and Singh 173
MATERIAL AND METHODS Edales pandava Horsfield, 1829- Plains Cupids
Lycaena pandava Horsfield, 1829, Cat. lepid. E.I.C:
In the present Investigation, authors regularly visited
84, n.19.
the various sites of Department of Floriculture and
Lycaena Swinhoe, 1910, Lep. Indica 8:37,
Landscaping, where a large number of Cycas species
types of Edales
plants were planted. The sample of the different
Distribution: India, Sri Lanka, Burma, Andamans,
immature stages were collected from various localities
Nicobars, Nepal, East Pakistan and Mauritius to
of district Ludhiana, Patiala, Amritsar, SBS Nagar,
Myanmar, Thailand and the Sundaland (Wynter-Blyth,
Moga, Ferozepur, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur and
1957), south east Asia including Thailand, Vietnam,
Kapurthala along with PAU Campus and nearby
China, India, Singapore, Sumatra, Borneo and probably
botanical gardens and residential landscapes. The
Burma, Cambodia and Laos (Kumar and Bhardwaj,
immature stages (egg, larvae, pupa) were collected
2009).
from the infected plants in different rearing jar. The
Habitat: Forest fringe, secondary growth and gardens.
later place in the natural condition of the taxonomy
Larval Food plants: Caterpillars feed mainly on the
laboratory of the Department of Entomology. The
emerging leaves of ornamental Cycas species, such as,
photographs of each stage were taken with the help of
Cycas revoluta (Sago Palm), Cycas rumphii, Cycas
Leica MZ 16 and with Nikon D200. After critical
micronesica (Fadang) and Cycas sphaerica, etc. Larvae
examination from various literature and by Comparison
are attended to by ants that protect them from parasites
at National Pusa Collection, which is housed at division
and predators, while at the same time feeding on the
of Entomology, IARI, New Delhi the species was
sugary liquid exuded from the caterpillars’ backs.
identified as Edales pandava (Horsfield) belonging to
Cycas revolta Bedd. (Cycadaceae) (Bingham, 1907);
family Lycanidae of order Lepidoptera.
Xylia dolabriformis Benth. (Leguminosae) (Wynter-
RESULTS Blyth, 1957); Cycas circinalis Linn. (Seki et al., 1991).
Description:
The detail scientific classification of the identified
Egg: Its pale green-colored eggs are laid singly on
species is given below: newly emerging fronds that are circinately coiled
Kingdom: Animalia (Plate-1, a).
Phylum: Arthropoda
Larva: The early instar larvae are colored purple but
Class: Insecta
subsequently change to green in later stages. Larva on
Order: Lepidoptera
dorsal side reddish where as larva on ventral side
Superfamily: Papilionoidea
greenish red. The caterpillars feed on tender emerging
Family: Lycanidae shoots of Cycad palms that have not yet hardened, thus
Subfamily: Polyommatinae destroying the potential beauty of these slow-growing
Genus: Edales Swinhoe, 1910
ornamentals. The larvae feed on the tender and young
Species: pandava Horsfield
leaves of Cycas (Tang and Oberprieler, 2006) (Plate-1,
b,c,d ).
Genus: Edales Swinhoe, 1910 Pupa: Pupation takes place in the soil and reddish in
Edales swinhoe, 1910, in Moore Lep. Indica :37. colour (Plate-1,e).
Type-species: Edales pandava Horsfield Adult: (Wing expense: Length 1.5 to 2.0 cm; Width:
Distribution: W Palaearctic, Afrotropical, New
3.0cm). Blue butterflies are really very tiny and
Zealand, E palaearctic, Malagasy, Nearctic, Oriental,
diminutive, seen in a group of 3-5 adults, sexual
Australasian and Neotropical (www.nhm.ac.uk)
dimorphism take place in adults (Plate-2, a-d), body
Dignosis: Forewing : Female with forewing elongated, small, short, palpi slender, porrect, second joint long,
triangular, costal nervure extending to nearly half projecting two-thirds beyond the head, attenuated at its
length of the margin, first subcostal nervule free from
tip, clothed with long adpressed scales, third joint very
costal nervure but running along its end, emitted
long, naked; legs slender, antennae with a stout grooved
beyond one-half before the end of the cell, second
club. Underside with base colour greyish brown with
subcostal at one-third, third subcostal at one-sixth,
white and darkish-brown markings that are beautifully
fourth subcostal at one-half from third, and terminal patterned. Hind wings with some small black spots
before the apex, fifth sub costal, upper discoidal from encircled in white, with 2 larger black spots that are
the end of the cell; disco-cellular nervules slightly
inwardly crowned with orangy-yellow at lower end and
oblique, nearly straight, radial, lower disciodal from
has a short white-tipped tail. Upperside with softly
their middle, discoidal cell long, extending to more
toned lavender-blue, hence aptly given one of its
end of the cell.
common name, the Cycad Blue Butterfly (Plate-1).Pathania, Suri and Singh 174
(a) Egg (b) Larva
( c) Larva (ventral view) (d) Larva (dorsal view)
( e) Pupa (f) adult
Plate-1. Biological studies of the species Edales pandava Horsfield.
(Upperside) (Underside)
(Upperside) (Upperside)
Plate -2. Sexual dimorphism of the species Edales pandava Horsfield.Pathania, Suri and Singh 175
Material Examined:
Punjab: Ludhiana, Patiala, Amritsar, SBS Nagar,
Moga, Ferozepur, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur and Guang-Hua, L., YongYue, L., Yongkong, G. and Ling, Z.
Kapurthala (Present study). (2003). The biology and population dynamics of the
butterfly Chilades pandava. Entomological
Remarks: Horsfield (1829), placed under genus Knowledge, 40(5): 426-428.
Lycaena and later Kumar and Bhardwaj (2009) places Horsifield, T. and Moore, F. (1829). Cat. Lep. Ins. Mus.
this under genus Chilades and in the present E.I.C. 84, n.19.
communication under the genus Edales. The species has Kumar, S and Bhardwaj, B.M. (2009). First record of cycas
identified as Edales pandava (Horsfield) which was butterfly, Chilades pandava pandava (Horsfield) on
placed under Chilades panadava pandava (Horsfield) by ornamental sago cycad (Cycas revolute Thunb.) in
Kumar and Bhardwaj in 2009. The variations in length Punjab. Journal of Ornamental Horticulture, 12(4):
of forewing, maculation, costal spot on undersurface of 281-282.
forewing, which has been lacking in some adults have Raju, A.J.S., Rao, K.S. and Rao, N.G. (2009). Association of
Indian stingless bee, Trigona iridipennis (Apidae:
been reported. The species was also reported on Cycads Meliponinae) with red listed Cycas spherical Roxb.
in Andhra Pradesh in India (Raju et al., 2009), (Cycadaceae). Current Science, 96(11): 1435-1436.
Guangdon province of China (Guang Hua et al., 2003) Seki, Y., Takanami, Y. and Maruyama, K. (1991).
and Reunion Island of France (Rochat, 2010). Butterflies of Borneo. Volume 2, no. 1. Lycaenidae.
Tobishima Corpo-ration, Tokyo, Japan.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Tang, W and Oberprieler, R. (2006). Insect pests of Cycads.
We are thankful to Head, Department of Entomology http://www.iucn.org/themes./ssc/sgs/csg/publications/C
for providing necessary lab facilies. Thanks are also AS/Cycad-Aulacaspis-Scale-Pest-Alert.pdf.
Rochat, J. (2010). Terrestrial invertebrate biodiversity of
due to Dr. V.V. Ramamurthy, Principal Scientist,
Reunion Island.
Division of Entomology, IARI, New Delhi for http://www.regionreunion.com/fr/spip/IMG/pdf/insectar
providing necessary permission to consult the National ium_in_english.pdf.
Pusa Insect collections for authenitic identification. Wynter Blyth, M.A. (1957). Butterflies of Indian region; The
Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai, 1-523.
REFERENCES
Bingham, C.T. (1907). The fauna of British India including
Ceylon and Burma Butterflies Vol. II. London: Taylor
and Francis, Red lion court, Fleet street, 1-480. plate xi-
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